College Softball 360 Primetime Performers #1 (2014)

Contact: Pete LaFleur (editor@collegesoftball360.com)

Florida Sophomore First Baseman Taylor Schwarz 
and Minnesota Senior Ace Pitcher Sarah Moulton Headline
CSB360 Week-1 Primetime Performers Honor Roll for 2014 Season

Florida sophomore Taylor SchwarzSara Moulton (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.), the Gators starter at first base and a key middle-of-the-order hitter – and Minnesota senior ace pitcher  (Eagle, Minn.) have been tabbed as  the top honorees on the CSB360 Primetime Performers Weekly Honor Roll for opening week of the 2014 season (all 10 honorees listed below). Moulton is the the CSB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week and Schwarz the Primetime Player, as selected by CollegeSoftball360.com, for games played on Feb. 6-9, 2014.

Scroll down for listing of all 10 week-1 honorees, plus action photos and player info. capsules (headshots in right sidebar).

CSB360 hopes to recognize a weekly honor roll throughout the 2014 season and even may incorporate a national freshman of the week award (although softball does not have as many freshman contributors as most other collegiate sports).

Here are links to some past CSB360 Primetime Performer Honor Roll release from the past two seasons:

2013 Primetime Performers:  Week-1  |  Week-2  |  Week-3  |  Week-4  |  Week-5

… 2012 Primetime – May 2  |  May 9

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Selection for the CollegeSoftball360 weekly awards is based on any/all of the following "primetime" criteria (i.e. not solely based on raw stats):

• Performed at a high level in a game/event that involves a team receiving votes in the preseason polls; or excelled in games that are key to the team's postseason qualification. Bonus given for all-around play (i.e. defense, execution, etc.). Note that conference races (even for teams outside the national polls) will be added to the Primetime Honor Roll consideration later in the season.

• In general, preference is given based on the quality of the opponent, contribution to team success and situational factors involved in the competitor's accomplishments.

• Exhibited strong leadership and/or involved in clutch performances, such as gamewinning plays, noteworthy comebacks, late scores, momentum-shifting play, all-around performance, team spirit, etc.

• Overcame adversity or extreme circumstances (for the team and/or individual).

• Bonus consideration is given for key performances away from team's home venue and/or against a traditional rival (and for historic performances, on a national level).

CSB360 PRIMETIME PERFORMERS OF THE WEEK 2014 – #1
(opening week, Feb. 6-9 ... courtesy of CollegeSoftball360.com)

"It's not so much what you do, as it is when you do it."

GINNY CARROLL  (Kentucky) … LF/DP … Sr. … 6-/5-hitter … bats: R  … Hendersonville, TN … #30
AIMEE CREGER  (Tulsa) … RHP/DP … Sr. … Yukon, OK … #15
LAUREN LANGNER  (McNeese State) … LF … Jr. … #2 hitter … bats: L  … Pearland, TX … #21
KYLEE LAHNERS  (Washington) … 3B … Jr. … cleanup/#5-hitter … bats: R  … Laguna Hills, CA … #11
LAUREN MORENO  (Cal Poly) … CF … Sr. … leadoff hitter … bats: R  … La Mirada, CA … #2
* SARA MOULTON  (Minnesota) … RHP … Sr. … Eagle, MN … #9
* TAYLOR SCHWARZ  (Florida) … 1B … So. … #5 hitter … bats: R  … Palm Beach Gardens, FL … #49
MISSY TAUKEIAHO  (Cal State Fullerton) … 3B … So. … leadoff … bats: R  … Racho Cucamonga, CA … #33
ALYSSA TIUMALA  (UCLA) … RF … Sr. … 5-/7-hitter … bats: R  … Elk Grove, CA … #34
LACEY WALDROP  (Florida State) … RHP … Jr. … Chester, VA … #13

* – Moulton is the CSB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week and Schwarz the Primetime Player of the Week

All photos courtesy of the respective schools and their photography staffs.

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GINNY CARROLL  
(Kentucky … LF/DP … Sr. … 6-/5-hitter … bats: R  … Hendersonville, TN … #30)

Ginny Carroll A280

Reached base eight times (4-for-9, 4 BB) during 5-0 season-opening weekend during tournament action at Long Beach State, highlighted by a thrilling 5-4 win over defending NCAA champion and preseason #2-ranked Oklahoma … factored into five of Kentucky's runs during the undefeated start (3 RBI–3R–HR) … her 2-for-4 game in the big win over Oklahoma included a clutch 7th-inning home run that helped push that game into extra innings (the 'Cats won in the 10th) … her earlier 4th-inning single to center field advanced Nikki Sagemann, who gave around to scored (cutting the Sooners lead to 3-2) … led off the 7th with a blast over the center field wall, followed a couple batters later by Emily Jolly's 2-out, game-tying HR … drew a walk in 6-0 season-opening win over Santa Clara before scoring twice (1-for-2, BB) in 10-0 win over host Long Beach squad that received votes in the preseason polls … added a walk in 7-1 win over LMU, plus a pair of RBI in 3-0 win over George Washington (1-2, BB, sac.-fly) … third-year starter who hit seven home runs as a sophomore in 2012 … both of her parents were college athletes, including her father Chris Carroll with the Kentucky baseball team (her mother Nina played basketball at Lipscomb) … product of Beech High School.

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Aimee Creger A280

AIMEE CREGER  
(Tulsa … RHP/DP … Sr. … Yukon, OK … #15)

Veteran ace who opened season with pair of shutouts at the FAU Kick-Off Classic, including 4-0 win over 18th-ranked Louisville … totaled 14 strikeouts while limiting her opponents to four hits (.093 batting avg.) … had no-decision while saving the day for Tulsa offense in tense Opening-Day battle vs. Ohio State (a 1-0 victory in eight innings) … limited OSU to a pair of hits while striking out six (6 BB) … went on to strike out eight in her two-hit shutout of Louisville, while working around five walks … served as designated player in weekend's final game vs. Illinois State, playing a key role in that 2-1 win by batting 2-for-3 with a key run scored (after a 1-out single in the 2nd inning) … already Tulsa's career leader in wins (69-16) and strikeouts (740) … registered nation's 5th-best season ERA as both a freshman (1.05; school record) and a junior (1.15) … has posted the top two win totals (24-3 in 2011; 25-7 in '13) and strikeout marks (256 in '11; 286 in '13) in Tulsa softball history … Conference USA Pitcher of the Year and an NFCA first team all-region performer as a junior in 2013, when she averaged nearly 10 Ks per 7 IP (9.98; only 71 BB in 200.2 IP; .176 opp. batting) … went 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA as a sophomore (184 Ks and 83 BB in 151.1 IP; .183 opp. batting) … broke onto the scene in 2011 as a third team All-American and Conference USA Freshman of the Year (also first team all-CUSA; 9.3 Ks per 7 IP; 73 BB in 193 IP; .141 opp. batting)… also hit .276 as a freshman, with 22 RBI … her sister Stacey played softball at Southwestern Oklahoma State … her uncle Steve Mooney was a football player at Tulsa … product of Mustang High School.  

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KYLEE LAHNERS  
(Washington … 3B … Jr. … cleanup/#5-hitter … bats: R  … Laguna Hills, CA … #11)

Kylee Lahners stance A270

Launched the long ball multiple times during opening-week action at the UNLV SportCo Kick-Off Classic, smacking three-run blasts in each of the season's first three games … racked up 13 RBI while providing several key hits during Huskies 5-0 start in the desert … reached base seven times in 14 week-1 plate appearances (4-for-10, 2 BB, HBP, plus a sac.-fly) … drove in more that half of her team's runs in 7-4 season-opening win over 18th-ranked Baylor (2-for-5; HR–4RBI) …  went the other way on an 0-2 pitch from Baylor ace Whitney Canion, driving the ball over the fence in right-center with two runners aboard, for 6-1 lead in the 4th (also had a sac. fly in that big gm-1 win) … her second 3-run HR of day-1 provided all of the Huskies runs in 3-0 win over San Diego … the next day, worked ahead in the count vs. Arkansas (a team on the fringe of the preseason top-25) before pulling 2-0 pitch over leftfield fence for 3-0 lead in the opening frame (6-1 win) … reached twice in 7-1 win over UNLV (BB, HBP) and closed week by batting 2-for-2 with a walk and two more RBI in 16-2 route of UC Davis (R, 2B) … received NFCA second team all-region and second team all-Pac-12 honors as a sophomore in 2013, after batting .296 with 10 HR for team that reached Women's College World Series … honorable mention all-Pac-12 in 2012, when she hit .273 as starter at second base … former member of the USA Junior National Team and a youth All-American while starring for Laguna Hills High School and the Worth Firecrackers … her father Ken Lahners played baseball at USC. 

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LAUREN LANGNER  
(McNeese State … LF … Jr. … #2 hitter … bats: L  … Pearland, TX … #21)

Lauren Langner A280

Key performer from top part of the McNeese batting order who opened the 2014 season with a strong showing at the Mardi Gras Invitational, batting ,429 (9-for-12) during five games stretch that included facing three opponents that received votes in the preseason national polls (led by host and #20 South Alabama, plus #21 AUB and Syracuse) … hit at a .500 clip (6-for-12) in the games vs. those three top opponents, with hits in each game … drove in (4) or scored (6) 10 of her team's during the week while smacking four doubles and even adding a sacrifice bunt … hit 2-for-4 with a run scored and double in season-opening win over UAB program that reached the 2013 NCAA Super-Regional round … batted 3-for-9 in split vs. Austin Peay (2RBI–3R–2B) and then singled in McNeese's lone run in 5-1 loss to the host Jaguars … closed week-1 on a strong note, batting 3-for-4 with an RBI, two runs scored and the sac. bunt in big 12-3 win over Syracuse (two of her hits went for extra bases) … ranked second on 2013 team with a .339 season batting avg., after collecting honorable mention all-Southland Conference honors as a freshman in 2012 … her sister Lindsey Langner was a standout outfielder during her own career with McNeese State softball … product of Pearland High School.

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LAUREN MORENO  
(Cal Poly … CF … Sr. … leadoff hitter … bats: R  … La Mirada, CA … #2)

Lauren Moreno A280

Classic veteran leadoff/center fielder combo. who turned in strong opening week during tournament action in Tempe, Ariz.… batted 8-for-19 while launching three home runs and factoring into 13 of Cal Poly's runs (8RBI–8R) during the first five games of 2014 … reached base 10 times, adding a walk and hit-by-pitch (plus a sac.-fly), while striking out only once in 22 plate appearances … homered twice and added a sacrifice fly in 6-4 win over 8th-ranked Oregon, accounting for half of the Mustangs runs the big upset (the only loss for the Ducks during the first two weeks of the 2014 season) … led off the game vs. Oregon with a home run to dead center field, while her 4th-inning sac. fly put Cal Poly back ahead, 2-1 … snapped a 6th-inning home run down the leftfield line for important insurance run (6-4) in top of the 6th vs. Oregon … singled in opener vs. Seattle and went on to hit safely in all five games during the weekend … hit 2-for-5 with an RBI and run scored against San Jose State, but Mustangs lost 6-5 in eight innings … delivered two-out RBI single against quality opponent San Diego State (6-3 loss) and closed weekend with another home run, batting 2-for-4 with three runs scored in 9-2 win over Indiana … second-year starter at Cal Poly, after playing here first two seasons of college softball at Mt. San Antonio (Junior) College) … product of La Mirada High School.

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Sara Moulton pitch A270

SARA MOULTON  
(Minnesota … RHP … Sr. … Eagle, MN … #9)
CSB360 National Primetime Pitcher of the Week

Added to her Minnesota career record totals for shutouts (38) and complete games (94), after logging 21 scoreless innings during her three starts in tournament action at LSU … racked up 32 strikeouts – with only four walks and no hit batters – while yielding only eight total hits over the course of the three complete games … 57 of her 63 outs in the tournament came via strikeouts of groundouts (25) … faced only nine batters over the minimum (74) spanning her three games … outdueled Baylee Corbello in tense 1-0 season opener vs. host #17 LSU, facing only 24 batters while striking out nine with two hits and three walks allowed … added another shutout victory in 5-0 game vs. SIU-Edwardsville (11 Ks; 3H–BB) and then closed weekend by winning another 1-0 thriller, with 2-hitter vs. Oklahoma State (no walks; 24 BF) … has led Minnesota to the program's first 5-0 start since 2003 … nearing the 1,000 career strikeouts milestone (972; second in Gophers history) while her 88 career wins also rank second in Minnesota record book … earned NFCA first team all-region honors (also first team all-Big Ten) as a junior in 2013, after breaking her own school record for wins in a season (32-12; 1.57 ERA with 308 Ks in 275.2 innings) … third team all-Big Ten in 2012 (25-14; 1.56, 302 Ks in 253.1), after posting 28 wins as a freshman (2nd team all-region in 2011; 2.06, 330 Ks in 278.2) … product of Eagan High School and the Minnesota Sting Club program.

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TAYLOR SCHWARZ  
(Florida … 1B … So. … #5 hitter … bats: L  … Palm Beach Gardens, FL … #49)
CSB360 National Primetime Player of the Week

Taylor Schwarz A280

Hit over .500 (8-for-15) while reaching base a total of 13 times (2 walks, 3 hit-by-pitch) during opening-week tournament action at the the University of South Florida, as the Gators opened with six wins (four vs. teams that received votes in the preseason national polls) … factored into 16 of Florida's runs during the week, with 8 RBI and 8 runs scored (plus a pair of home runs, which of course are included in both totals) … also had a triple as part of 16 total bases (for a slugging pct. north of 1.000) … reached base three times (1-for-3; 2 hit-by-pitch) and had three RBI while also scoring a run of her own in season-opening, 10-3 win over the host 23rd-ranked Bulls … smacked early solo home run and later scored another valuable run in tight win over Illinois State (3-2) … in pair of wins over rec.-votes Wisconsin (5-3; 5-2), she hit a combined 3-for-5 and reached base six times (2BB–HBP; 2RBI–3R) … hit 2-for-3 (RBI, 2R, HBP) in first win over Wisconsin, scoring in 6th for 1-1 game and added a triple/run in the decisive 4-run 7th by the Gators … had a couple hits and factored directly into three runs (2RBI, 2R, HR) vs. 4th-ranked Michigan, as Gators stunningly rallied in the 7th from a 4-0 deficit to won 9-4 in extras (her 2-run blast yielded a 7-4 lead in the 8th) … reached three times and factored into two runs during second win over Wisconsin (1-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, R) … close week batting 1-for-2 in 8-0 win over Bethune-Cookman … started as a freshman in 2013, when she hit .266 with 9 HR and 38 RBI for team that reached the Women's College World Series … product of Palm Beach Gardens High School (which was ranked #5 in the nation her senior season) and the Gold Coast Hurricanes travel team.

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MISSY TAUKEIAHO  
(Cal State Fullerton … 3B … So. … leadoff … bats: R  … Racho Cucamonga, CA … #33)

Missy Taukeiaho A280

Transfer from University of Washington who made an immediate impact as Fullerton's new leadoff hitter and a starter at third base … her 8-for-13 (.615) batting at the home Easton  Tournament included launching a key two-run home run in 3-1 win over the defending NCAA champion, 2nd-ranked Oklahoma …scored or drove in 12 total runs (8 RBI, 6 R, 2 HR) while playing lead role in Fullerton's first 5-0 start since 2000 (gaining the Titans some votes in the next week's national polls), with three of the wins coming in run-rule blowouts … hit safely in all five games, with multiple hits against Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and Loyola Marymount … hit 2-for-2 and also reached on a walk (RBI, 2 R) in 9-0 win over LMU before batting 1-for-2 with a sac. fly in 8-0 game vs. Santa Clara (2 RBI, R) … pulled the ball down the leftfield line and over the fence for a huge 3-run shot that helped Titans erase a 4-0 deficit vs. Pitt. (7-4 win; 2-for-3 with a walk) … wrapped up her first week with Fullerton by contributing a single, walk and run scored vs. George Washington (9-0) … garnered All-America honors as a prep while starring for Etwanda High School … started 35 games in the outfield as a freshman at Washington in 2013 (hit .296 with six home runs for team that advanced to the Women's College World Series).

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ALYSSA TIUMALA 
(UCLA … RF … Sr. … 5-/7-hitter … bats: R  … Elk Grove, CA … #34)

Alyssa Tiumalu hit A280

Turned in a tournament MVP performance at the annual Paradise Classic, with UCLA's start including a pair of wins over (rec. votes) host Hawaii … batted .615 (8-for-13) in the tournament with a pair of walks (plus a hit-by-pitch), two home runs, nine RBI and two runs scored … compiled a 1.919 OPS (.688 on-base plus 1.231 slugging, with her 16 total bases including two doubles) … hit 3-for-4 in the initial 7-2 win over Hawaii – with a single and a double before delivering a huge 2-run blast for a 4-1 lead and the ultimate winning hit in that 8-inning game (1-1 thru 7) … in the tournament championship game rematch vs. Hawaii, her lone hit was a bit one – a two-out single that plated two key insurance runs in that 4-1 win … opened the week with a pair of hits and two RBI in run-rule win over Delaware (10-0; 2B, HBP) … launched 3-run home run in day-2 dismantling of Hampton (17-0; 2 BB), adding another hit in second win over Delaware (7-0) … missed half of her junior season in 2013 due to concussion issues … made 26 starts in 2012, after a strong 2011 season that saw her earn a spot on the Pac-10 All-Freshman Team (she hie .302 in that rookie season, with 24 RBI and nine home runs) … a prep All-American while starring for Pleasant Grove High School AA … product of the California Grapettes and Sorcerer Phil club teams.

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Lacey Waldrop A280

LACEY WALDROP  
(Florida State … RHP … Jr. … Chester, VA … #13)

Returning staff ace who turned in a pair of strong week-1 outings against 9th-ranked Nebraska, as part of FSU's 4-1 tournament showing at New Mexico State … compiled a 0.78 ERA with 11 strikeouts in her three week-1 starts, spanning 18 innings … allowed a couple early runs in the first game vs. Nebraska but still was one out away from collecting win in that Opening Day game – before a two-run error handed the Huskers a 4--3 win … returned the next day to log four shutout innings, allowing only two hits and one walk, in 8-0 run-rule win vs. UTEP (4 Ks) … in the rematch with Nebraska, another FSU error led to an early unearned run but she went on to collect the 5-1 win, yielding only one hit over the final 4.1 innings of that victory … allowed only two baserunners to reach third base during that entire second meeting vs. Nebraska, with three strikeouts (4 H, 1 BB) … did not allow an earned run over her final 15.1 innings of the opening weekend … her All-America sophomore season in 2013 included a 24-10 record and 1.53 ERA (259 Ks, 55 Bb and a .191 opp. batting avg. in 219.1 innings) … a first team all-ACC performer in 2013, after being named to the ACC second team as a freshman in 2012 (19-5, 1.33, 139 K, 36 BB, 179 opp. avg. in 162.2) … product of Thomas Dale High School.

© College Sports 360, LLC ... editor@CollegeSoftball360.com